Pressure-medium-operated brake systems are used in particular for utility vehicles. Here, compressed air is preferably used as the pressure medium. For the actuation of a service brake of the vehicle or for the release of a parking brake of the vehicle, a control pressure is modulated by electropneumatic and/or pneumatic means and is provided at a boosted air flow rate, or at a higher pressure medium flow rate, by means of a relay valve. Here, the relay valve is part of the valve device and is preferably arranged in a housing of the valve device.
From the relay valve, the pressure medium with boosted pressure medium flow rate is conducted to at least one brake cylinder in order to brake at least one wheel of the vehicle or is conducted to a spring store part of a combined spring brake cylinder in order to release a parking brake at at least one wheel of the vehicle.
Various valve devices are known for different brake systems. In particular, a valve device is known to which the control pressure is supplied externally at an inlet. The control pressure is in this case modulated purely pneumatically by means of a foot-operated brake pedal.
Another known valve device uses such a brake pressure modulated by means of a foot-operated brake pedal as a redundancy pressure, and conducts the redundancy pressure to the relay valve as a control pressure in the event of an electronics failure. The known valve device furthermore has a plurality of electromagnetic valves by means of which the control pressure is modulated during normal operation.
The known valve devices, which are configured differently depending on the brake system used, may have different valves and different housings with different pressure medium ducts. In particular, the known valve devices are designed differently as a relay modulator for an electropneumatic parking brake, as a relay modulator for an electronically regulated brake system, as a relay modulator for a pneumatic brake system with anti-lock function and/or traction control, as an electromagnetic relay valve or as a relay valve. Of these different configurations, in each case different variants for different applications and/or functions are also known.
For the known valve devices, it is necessary for brackets intended specifically for the respective valve device to be provided on the vehicle. This makes it complex and expensive to equip vehicles with different brake systems. Furthermore, it is necessary to produce a multiplicity of different housings, which leads to low unit quantities and consequently high costs of production of the known valve devices.
DE 10 2008 048 562 A1 discloses a valve arrangement, without relay valve, having a plurality of valve devices for brake control of a pneumatic brake system of a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle. The valve devices of the valve arrangement are formed as block-like support modules with identical height and depth dimensions. The valve devices are connected to one another and have bores which, together, form longitudinal ducts extending through the valve device. Furthermore, the valve devices have a standard bore for receiving in each case one cartridge valve. Different control valves for different valve functions are provided as cartridge valves. For adaptation to the different valve functions, a duct guide in the valve device is adapted by inserting plug elements into pressure medium ducts to be shut off. In the known valve devices, it is necessary, in a cumbersome manner, for plug elements to be positioned precisely and such that they remain permanently in position. An intended mode of operation of the respective valve device, such as is desired or necessary in the case of the abovementioned valve devices for utility vehicles, would otherwise be impaired. It would therefore appear to be disadvantageous for an air guide or pressure medium guide which can be varied by means of plug elements to be provided in the case of the abovementioned valve devices with relay valve.